Bill 205 explained in plain English
Combatting Eating Disorders in Ontario Act, 2018
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
This Ontario Act requires disclaimers on commercially published digitally altered images, establishes an annual eating disorder awareness campaign, and enables awards for reducing eating disorders.
Bill 205, the Combatting Eating Disorders in Ontario Act, 2018, requires that digitally altered or retouched photographs and videos published for commercial purposes must include a disclaimer. It also mandates an annual eating disorder awareness campaign and allows for awards to be given for actions that reduce the prevalence of eating disorders. The Act does not apply to the commercial film, television, or video industry.
- Requires that photographs and videos where a person's image has been digitally altered to change their body shape, skin tone, hair, face, or other physical characteristics, and which are published for a commercial purpose, must display text indicating they have been altered or retouched.
- Specifies that the disclaimer text must be easily legible, apparent, and comprehensible, according to regulations.
- Requires that a copy of the unaltered version of such photographs or videos be maintained according to regulations and provided to an inspector upon request.
- States that the requirements for disclaimers on altered images do not apply to individuals working in the commercial film, television, or video industry.
- Establishes offences for contravening the section on digitally altered images, with fines increasing for subsequent offences.
- Empowers the Minister of Government and Consumer Services to appoint inspectors to check compliance with the Act and regulations.
- Allows any person to complain about an alleged contravention of the Act or regulations, following the process set out in the regulations.
- Requires the Minister of Government and Consumer Services to conduct a review of regulations related to the commercial film, television, and video industry within one year of the Act coming into force, and to publish recommendations.
- Mandates the Minister to conduct an annual eating disorder awareness campaign focused on promoting healthy body image and beauty perceptions.
- Permits the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to give awards to individuals or groups who have taken meaningful action to reduce the prevalence of eating disorders, as determined by the Minister and according to regulations.
- Grants the Minister of Government and Consumer Services the power to make regulations on various aspects of the Act, including the text for disclaimers, exemptions, record-keeping, inspector duties, complaint procedures, and award criteria.
- Publishers of photographs and videos for commercial purposes (excluding the film, television, and video industry)
- Individuals who publish digitally altered or retouched photographs and videos for commercial purposes
- The commercial film, television, and video industry
- The Minister of Government and Consumer Services
- The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
- Inspectors appointed under the Act
- Individuals and organizations involved in the commercial film, television, and video industry
- The public (through awareness campaigns and potential awards)
- Obligation to include a disclaimer on commercially published digitally altered or retouched photographs and videos (with exceptions).
- Obligation to retain and provide unaltered versions of published photographs and videos to inspectors.
- Right for any person to complain about alleged contraventions of the Act or regulations.
- Minister's obligation to conduct an annual eating disorder awareness campaign.
- Minister of Health and Long-Term Care's ability to issue awards for meaningful action in reducing eating disorders.
- The Act comes into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
- The Minister must conduct a review of regulations related to the commercial film, television, and video industry within one year of the Act coming into force.
- Fines for contravening the section on digitally altered images: not more than $25,000 for a first offence, not more than $50,000 for a second offence, and not more than $75,000 for a third or subsequent offence.
- Fines for contravening the section on digitally altered images, with escalating amounts for repeat offences: up to $25,000 for a first offence, up to $50,000 for a second offence, and up to $75,000 for subsequent offences.
- The specific text required for the disclaimer, the manner of its display, and exemptions are to be prescribed by regulations.
- The process for maintaining and providing unaltered versions of photographs and videos is to be governed by regulations.
- The powers and duties of inspectors, and the process for making complaints, are to be established by regulations.
- The criteria and process for issuing awards for reducing eating disorders are to be established by regulations.
- The effective date of the Act is one year after Royal Assent, meaning its provisions regarding altered images and the awareness campaign are not immediately in force.
Establishes new requirements for digitally altered images, an eating disorder awareness campaign, and awards for reducing eating disorders.
Source: Explanatory Note
The Minister is required to review these regulations and may recommend amendments to include disclaimers for digital alteration or to address unrealistic body image standards.
Source: Section 4 (1)
The Minister may make regulations to prescribe details for the Act, including the text for disclaimers, exemptions, record retention, inspector duties, complaint processes, and award criteria.
Source: Section 7
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
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Vote Summary
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Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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